Ontario
Quitline Profile
Canada
Quitline: Health Connect Ontario (telephone)
Began Operations: April 2000
Website: https://healthconnectontario.health.gov.on.ca/static/guest/home
Standard Hours of Operation
Monday:
10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Tuesday:
10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Wednesday:
10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Thursday:
10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Friday:
10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday:
10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday:
10:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Closed on:
New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day (3rd Monday in May), Canada Day (July 1st), Civic Holiday (1st Monday in Aug), Labour Day (1st Monday in Sept), Thanksgiving (2nd Monday in Oct) , Christmas and Boxing Day. 811 service available is 24 hours a day. Appointment with a cessation counsellor available during operating hours (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
Telephone Numbers
Line
Phone Number
Language/Subject
1
811
English
2
811
French
3
811
Other than English
Supported Languages
Counseling offered in: English and French
Third-party counseling: Languages other than English and French offered through translator
Deaf/Hard of hearing: Direct TTY machine
 
VIEW ONLINE
CESSATION SERVICES
Phone Counseling
Types:
brief intervention
single-session
multi-session (client-initiated)
multi-session (counselor-initiated)
text to cell (two-way)
text to cell (one-way)
text to cell (two-way w/ counselor)
text to cell (two-way automated)
Length of standard first session: 15 min
Length of standard follow-up session: 20 min
Counseling session topics:
tobacco history
developing a quit plan
setting a quit date
withdrawal symptoms
relapse prevention
weight gain
use of cessation medication
stress management
other
Web-Based Services
quitline information
cessation information
self-help tools
automated e-mail messages
interactive counseling
chat rooms
webpages
forums
online courses
social media
AI
mobile app
Cessation Medications
Free Medications
patch
gum
lozenge
nasal spray
inhaler
varenicline
bupropion
combination NRT
Discounted Medications
patch
gum
lozenge
nasal spray
inhaler
varenicline
bupropion
combination NRT
Medication Distribution Methods
voucher
by mail
Other Services
voicemail with callbacks
recorded self-help messages
referral to other health services
mailed info or self-help resources
Additional Info:
NOTE: SHL offers NICODERM®/NICORETTE® Combination Therapy Trial Pack which includes nicotine patches and gum and an information card on combination therapy.
SHL offers a $10 discount for patches and gum at point of registration.
To receive counseling:
None, other than must be a resident of Ontario.
To receive medication:
n/a
Specialized Materials
youth, under 18
youth, 18-25
older tobacco users, 55+
smokeless tobacco users
pregnant tobacco users
multiple addictions
racial/ethnic populations
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
chronic health conditions
low socioeconomic status or Medicaid
low literacy
other
mental health disorders including psychiatric conditions
Additional Info:
healthconnectontario.health.gov.on.ca
Specialized Protocols
pregnant tobacco users
behavioral health
youth, under 18
Cost-Sharing Partnerships
Medicaid
Medicare
state as employer
large self-insured business
commercial insurer
other
Fax or electronic referral program:  Yes
Person(s) eligible to refer patients:
certified or trained fax referral providers
clinicians or non-clinicians in a healthcare setting
clinicians or non-clinicians in a community-based organization
other
Available referral methods:
faxed form
e-mail or online
EMR with electronic submission
Tobacco users can be referred if they:
are thinking about quitting
indicate a readiness to quit within 30 days
are ready to make a quit attempt
are quit and seek help to stay quit
Referred patients contacted within:  Within 24 hours
Other services available to referring providers:
quitline and/or referral brochures
customized referral/consent forms
patient progress reports
customized provider feedback reports
staff training
quitline/referral program newsletter
Referral program contact:
Diane Legault
Health Connect Ontario
(705) 794-4981
Other information:
healthconnectontario.health.gov.on.ca
Smoke-Free Laws
Workplaces: Yes
Bars: Yes
Restaurants Yes
Tobacco Tax Rates
Current cigarette tax rate: $7.511
Effective date: February 1, 2006
Amount of last increase: $1.39
Quitline Engagement (Source: NAQC Annual Survey - 2012)
Number of direct calls to the quitline: 12,614
Number of tobacco users receiving services: 4,348
Number of tobacco users registering for Web-based services: 9,238
Number of tobacco users referred to the quitline: 18,200
Quitline Investment and Impact (Source: NAQC Annual Survey - 2012)
Amount per smoker spent on services and medications: $0.81
Amount per smoker spent on media and promotions: $0.26
Promotional reach: 0.23 %
Treatment reach: Not available
NAQC standard quit rate: Not available
NOTE: Additional quitline data is available online at www.naquitline.org/data/
Context for quitline metrics:
No quit rate data provided for FY2012.
Funder of quitline services: Provincial government (Ontario)
Operator of counseling services: Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario
Funding source(s): Provincial government (Ontario) Note on the service providers: Canadian Cancer Society provides digital/online counselling services and Orion Health – Better Access Alliance (BAA) provides telephone-based counselling services.
Electronic Medical Records:
Profile last updated on March 5, 2025
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